Barbed fence



(No Model.)

E. S. WHEELER.

BARBED FENCE.

Patented June so, 1885.

u. PETERS, mmwm n h-r, Wnlhlngiun. 04 c NITE STATES ELONZO S. W'HEELER, OF SAUGATUCK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CLAR- ENCE L. WVHEELER, OF SHARON, CONNECTICUT.

BARBED FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,264 dated June 30, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELoNzo S. WVHEELER, of Saugatuck, in the county of .Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new Improvcments in Barbs for \Vire Fences; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the to same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a side view of two wires twisted, the improved barbs applied; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the barb as produced as an artiole of manufacture; Fig. .8, the open barb as set upon the wires preparatory to closing; Fig. 4, the same, the sleeve closed, the last two figures enlarged.

This invention relates to the construction of barbs to be attached to wire fence, the object being to construct the barb so that it may be readily applied to the wire after the wire is fixed to the posts or before; and it consists in a cast-metal divided sleeve having prongs pro 2 5 jecting from its outer surface, and so that said sleeve when open may be set over the wire and then closed thereon to fix it in position, as more fully hereinafter described.

The detachable barb consists of adivided or 0 open sleeve, A, constructed with radially-projecting barbs a, more or less in number. These barbs project from the outer surface of the sleeve, and so as to leave a hublike projection of the sleeve each side the barbs, the barbs 3 5 being at right angles to the axis of the sleeve.

The sleeve and barbs are made from cast metal, preferably malleable iron, and the opening 1) is made sufficient to enable the sleeve to be passed on over the wire of the fence, as

0 seen in Fig. 3, and when so placed upon the wire the sleeve is bent to close the opening I),

as seen in Fig. 3, and so that the sleeve will firmly clasp the wires and fixit with the barbs firmly in the desired position.

These barbs may be made as an article of manufacture, as seen in Fig. 2, ready for attachment, and sold in the market to be applied by any purchaser. They may be applied to twisted wires, as shown, or to a single wire, and may be closed upon the wire by any suitable pinching device, or by means of a hammcr upon one side and a resistance applied upon the opposite side.

The construction is extremely cheap, the article being produced without other mechanical manipulation than that of casting and tumbling, and enables a person to apply the barbs wherever they may be wanted, and upon any kind of wire he may choose to purchase. It also enables the transportation of the wire without the barbs, greatly reducing the bulk,

and avoids many accidents occurring in handling wire with the barbs made as a permanent part thereof in the process of manufacture.

While I prefer to make these barbs from cast metal, it will be evident to those skilled in working metals that they may be forged complete in dies. The cast article is,however, cheaper and practically as good.

I am aware that barbs for Wire fences have been made from sheet metal bent into tubular form around the wire-fence, the barbs bent therefrom outward into nearly a radial position; but I am not aware that a barb has been made consisting of an open sleeve with barbs projecting radially from its surface, and so that the sleeve forms a projecting hub each side the barbs, and this constitutes the peculiarity of my invention, whereby it may be made from cast metal and present strong barbs which are firmly supported by the sleeve.

I claim- As an article of manufacture, the hereindescribed cast-metal barb for wire fence,consisting of the open sleeve A, having barbs a, cast as an integral part of said sleeve, and projecting radially from its surface and from points midway in the length of the sleeve, so that a portion of the sleeve extends each side of said barbs, substantially as described.

ELONZO S. WVHEELER.

Witnesses:

Mosns W. WILsoN, W. O. STAPLES. 

